Huckabee Iowa campaign head Eric Woolson sent a mass email today to offer up  a clearance sale of souvenirs of the now defunct campaign. The memorabilia? ” Huckabee for President” T-shirts.

It comes as no surprise to most of you who know me: My office is a mess.  The problem is, it’s my company office, not a campaign headquarters, and that big stack of Huckabee for President T-shirts is one reason why. So, to make sure we find good homes for all those shirts in short order — and my office space gets back to normal — we’re having a blowout sale this week only.All Huckabee for President T-shirts in my office are now just $5 plus $1 for postage and handling. (You can’t even buy two gallons of gasoline for that price — and think how much longer this wonderful souvenir of Governor Huckabee’s campaign will last.)   

Members of the media: I have a SPECIAL OFFER for you!  All shirts are just $35.00, $7.50 postage and handling.  Just kidding! You receive the SAME GREAT DISCOUNT as everybody else. I know you can’t wear one in public, no matter how good your heart is — and I know you all have very, very good hearts. But you will want one of these high-quality, comfortable white  100-percent cotton T’s with that familiar campaign logo you know and love as a cherished keepsake of your time covering the the campaign you loved best.

Check out this great review from a satisfied customer:

“My Huckabee T-shirt took me on a roller coaster ride of emotions.  I laughed. I cried. It was better than ‘Cats.’”  — Mr. C. Saltsman, Memphis

OK, I made that up. Order today because even though that stack of shirts seems big, quantities are LIMITED.  And after this, they really will become collector’s items and I will start charging $35 per shirt.   

Dallas, TX- 

” I shall never surrender or retreat…I call on you in the name of liberty, of patriotism, and everything dear to the American character.”

These were the famous words of William Barret Travis, the legendary Alamo figure, who with 189 Texas rebels valiantly defended the Alamo against a vastly superior Mexican army.Despite being dramatically outnumbered, the Texans held their ground against the bombardment before finally being over run by the 1,600 Mexican soldiers.

While campaigning in Texas, Mike Huckabee has often cited this letter which Barrett had written to allies for reinforcements.  During his visit to the Alamo last month, Huckabee described Travis’ writing as “one of the greatest”, and said it motivated him to continue in the race.

“I refuse to allow the establishment or the party bosses in Washington or anywhere else to tell us this is over,” he said in front of the Texas landmark. “For me to pull out of the election before Texas gets to vote would not only be unacceptable, it would be inexcusable…It’s not Republican, and it’s not American.”

Facing an insurmountable profusion of delegates by front-runner John McCain, the long-shot candidate has sought Barret’s words for inspiration for his hard-fought campaign, that has taken him from Iowa caucus winner, Southern state surprise victor, to the last GOP contender standing against the likely nominee. Now confronting the end of his battle, Huckabee has personally looked to these words from Barret as something more: the embodiment of his journey from ignored candidate to a major player in the future of the Republican party.

 Today, Fox News asked Huckabee in front of a Dallas polling station about Travis, and the parallels between his campaign, and Travis’ defiant stand at the Alamo.

”  I’m still waiting for the Texans to come to my aide. I’ve sent them a letter, I’ve asked them to come with all dispatch.” Huckabee said through a smile, a man content.” We’ve answered the cannonade  with a cannon shot of our own, and our flag still waves proudly from the wall. We shall never surrender or retreat.”

Houston, TX-

Major Texas news paper, The Dallas Morning News, has issued an editorial today emphasizing their endorsement of Mike Huckabee over John McCain, the presumptive GOP nominee. The paper’s editorial board writes that while  it is” mathematically impossible for Mike Huckabee, the last remaining GOP contender, to capture the nomination,” they deduce that ” a vote for Huckabee is a vote for the GOP’s future.”  

Excerpts:

Mr. Huckabee, 52, should be a top leader in tomorrow’s Republican Party. His good-natured approach to politics - “I’m a           conservative; I’m just not mad about it,” as he likes to say - is quite appealing after years of scorched-earth tactics from both parties.He’s a pragmatist more concerned with effective government than with bowing to ideological litmus tests. 

He truly is representative of the next wave of evangelical chieftains and, if nothing else, will emerge from this primary season the leader of one of the most influential factions in the GOP coalition.We look forward to having him around to help shape and lead the Republican Party beyond November. That’s why we encourage Texas Republicans to mark their ballots for Mr. Huckabee in the GOP primary: to demonstrate to the party’s elite that Mr. Huckabee and his vision have a solid constituency.True, a Huckabee vote today won’t do much to determine the 2008 GOP presidential candidate. But it’s a good investment in the Republican Party’s future. 

Houston, TX-

Despite being down significantly in recent polls, GOP presidential aspirant Mike Huckabee is barn-storming Texas and like legendary Alamo leader William Barret Travis - who’s famous “never surrender” pledge he has quoted at every campaign stop here- Huckabee has pitched his defiant stake in the Lone Star soil, for better, or for worse. With only a couple days left before the election on Tuesday, Huckabee’s last stand is here, and now.

 In the past week, Huckabee has seen large , enthusiatic crowds regularly at his campaign events despite dismal chances of snatching the Republican nomination away from John McCain. Huckabee has consistently said that if he wins Texas then that would essentially impede McCain’s certain march to Minneapolis, and create a convention battle scenario in September among the  Grand Ol’ Party.

So like an angry cat backed into a corner, or those Alamo defenders that he incessantly discusses Huckabee is readying himself for one last fight. And one way to show sharp contrasts with McCain is to highlight their differences on border security, say Huckabee campaign staffers, a top issue here among Republicans in the reddest of states.

In Laredo today, Huckabee inspected  the U.S.-Mexican border with border patrol agents, and a posse of supporters including Rep. Duncan Hunter(R-CA), actor Chuck Norris, and Minute Man founder Jim Gilchrist.

Huckabee has been a staunch supporter of erecting a wall on the border, and other stringent border security initiatives. While McCain does not support equal measures, Huckabee refused to directly hit McCain, even when asked if  his opponent was “soft” on the issue. However,Huckabee did take a shot at those who supported “amnesty” for illegal aliens,a reference to the senator from Arizona’s failed immigration bill.

“I’m not going to characterize his position because I think that’s not really a healthy thing for me to get into. I still had rather have Senator McCain than I had Senator Obama or Senator Clinton as president,” Huckabee said, standing a hundred yards from Mexico.”If people are looking for someone who believes that this a serious issue that needs to be addressed with a greater level of resources and it can’t be overlooked and I don’t think amnesty is an answer and i think that’s, again,the wrong path for us to go and I do think strong border security is an urgent matter for the United States.  

Tyler, TX - Sen. John McCain made it clear today he has very little interest in a one-on-one debate with Mike Huckabee before next week’s primary.

“We have a pretty hard and fast schedule,” McCain said Wednesday, when asked today about a letter the former Arkansas Governor sent him yesterday. “We’ve debated 16 times so we’ll examine it…but frankly I doubt it.”

Little Rock, AR-

Mike Huckabee, campaigning in Ohio yesterday, formally asked GOP rival John McCain for a two-man debate.

In a letter sent to the McCain campaign,which is leading the Huckabee campaign by hundreds of delegates, Huck asked Mac for a Lincoln-Douglas type of  debate, for the good of the Republican party.

“Now that the race for the Republican nomination is down to just the two of us, I believe this is the time for a real discussion about our vision for 
the future of this great country,” the letter states. “I encourage you to join me in a Lincoln Douglas style debate so that voters can better understand our views on critical issues.”

McCain, the presumptive nominee, had said earlier in the day that his campaign had never heard  from Huckabee about a debate, despite the fact that Huckabee had been making the request publicly since Mitt Romney dropped out.

In a recent ARG TX poll, McCain is leading Huckabee only by a few points: McCain 45, Huckabee 41. Senior staffers tell FOX that while the ARG poll can differ wildly at times, the crowds for Huckabee have been considerably bigger than the crowds for McCain; a sign, they say, that Huckabee is gaining formidable ground in the Lone Star state.

Huckabee has said repeatedly that he will challenge McCain until the GOP convention in Minnesota, despite their good relations. A week ago, Huckabee defended McCain during the uproar over a New York Times article (largely rebuked) that linked him, improperly, to a Washington lobbyist.

 *****

Entire Huckabee Letter to McCain (SEE BELOW)

(more…)

Providence, RI-

The conservative, and esteemed National Review wrote online that GOP candidate Mike Huckabee, dramatically behind in delegates to presumptive nominee John McCain, should reconsider running for the U.S. Senate seat in Arkansas against Democrat Mark Pryor for “the sake of his country, his party, and his career”.

What is Mike Huckabee doing? He has already established himself as a brilliant natural campaigner with a strong base of support within the party. He will be a GOP force in years to come, and just may make another run for the White House. But for 2008 he has been mathematically eliminated, his quip about miracles notwithstanding. So why continue? If he really wants to serve his country and his party, while consolidating support for the long-term and advancing his policy ideas, Mike Huckabee should step out of the presidential contest immediately and put his energy into a run for the United States Senate.     

 Huckabee, asked the same question a couple weeks ago in Washington ,replied that he’d more likely dye his” hair green, get a bunch of tattoos and go on tour with Amy Winehouse” than run for that Senate seat. Winehouse, of course, being the Grammy award winning musician, known as much  for her bouts with hard drugs, as she is for her enormous talent.

Today FNC asked Huckabee about the National Review piece, and about the sentiment behind the write-up. Should he reconsider?

 ”No way. Let me go ahead and put that one to rest,” Huckabee said, after touring a Providence middle school.”This about as clear as I can put it. There’s a greater likelihood of me dying my hair green, tattooing my body, and going on tour with Amy Winehouse other than me running for senate this year. Not happening.” 

Huckabee turned away to answer another reporter’s question, then as if remembering something, quickly turned back. 

“By the way, if you see tattoos on me tomorrow, you ought to worry .”

But, wait a minute, Winehouse entered rehab recently, even after famously singing:

” They tried to make me go to rehab, I said ‘no,no, no.”

Maybe this means that nothing is absolute? And we may just see a Republican senatorial candidate in Arkansas with dyed green hair,tattoos…and even possibly Amy Winehouse herself, rocking Little Rock?

Nah, I doubt it. 

Former Arkansas governor, Mike Huckabee appeared during the newsy “Weekend Update” segment on Saturday Night Live, and played his long-odds candidacy for the Republican nomination for laughs. 

“Mike Huckabee does not overstay his welcome. When it’s time for me to go, I’ll know. And I’ll exit with class and grace”,Huckabee said to Seth Meyers, who was interviewing him, but then proceeded to stay on the stage despite cues from Meyers and “co-anchor” Amy Poehler, to leave.

 ” Governor Huckabee,” Meyers said.

“Seth,” Huckabee replied.

” I think we’re done now, sir. “

“Oh right.Normally, I pick up on those things,” Huckabee dead-panned.” Sorry.”

Mike Huckabee will be making a guest appearance on Saturday Night Live tonight,as reported first by Fox Embeds on Wednesday. Huckabee will be arriving at the Saturday Night Live studios this evening in New York for tonight’s broadcast. Huckabee staffers  say the candidate is very excited about this opportunity, and has been a fan of the show for years. 

 This will be the first show,in 16 weeks, due to the writers strike.  Huckabee will not be hosting, that honor goes to former SNL cast member, and current 30 Rock star, Tina Fey.

 Yesterday, Fox asked Huckabee who he thought would make a good Obama impersonator on the show. SNL, known for their satirical wit, is searching for a suitable actor or comedian to play that role. Huckabee didn’t offer up any suggestions for the Democratic frontrunner, but said he knew who be a good fill in for him.

“If I couldn’t show up they were going to either get Brad Pitt or George Clooney, ” he said, smiling.

Huckabee has been a favorite of late night talk show hosts, including Stephen Colbert, and Jay Leno. This will be his first time as a guest on what many consider  not just a late- night comedy show but, as an American  institution of comedy and satire, especially political satire.